Top Stories

Agudelo, Boyd among USMNT call-ups for New Zealand friendly

Juan Agudelo USMNT 91

Some familiar faces are back in the fold for the U.S. Men’s National Team ahead of Tuesday’s friendly against New Zealand.

Forwards Juan Agudelo and Terrence Boyd are among the latest additions to the roster. Bill Hamid, Matt Besler, Kellyn Acosta, Michael Orozco and Tim Parker have also been called up for Tuesday’s game.

Agudelo has not represented the U.S. since he participated in a friendly against Germany back in June 2015. He has been in top form for the New England Revolution in recent weeks, scoring three goals in his last five starts in MLS. Boyd, meanwhile, has not been on a USMNT roster since his inclusion on the preliminary squad for the 2014 World Cup.

Nine players have departed the team following these changes. John Brooks, Geoff Cameron, Timmy Chandler, Ethan Horvath, Fabian Johnson, Jordan Morris, Christian Pulisic, Chris Wondolowski and Bobby Wood are all back with their respective clubs.

There are now 20 players left on the U.S. roster entering Tuesday’s game in Washington, D.C.

GOALKEEPERS: David Bingham (San Jose Earthquakes), Bill Hamid (D.C. United), William Yarbrough (Club Leon)

DEFENDERS: Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Matt Besler (Sporting KC), Steve Birnbaum (D.C. United), Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca), Michael Orozco (Club Tijuana), DeAndre Yedlin (Newcastle United), Tim Parker (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)

MIDFIELDERS: Paul Arriola (Club Tijuana), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Lynden Gooch (Sunderland), Perry Kitchen (Hearts), Sacha Kljestan (New York Red Bulls), Danny Williams (Reading)

FORWARDS: Juan Agudelo (New England Revolution), Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Terrence Boyd (RB Leipzig), Julian Green (Bayern Munich)

Comments

  1. Luis Robles has been a fixture for the NY Redbulls and has been an important part of their success under Marsch. Any comments on why he has been looked over by JK (I think Bradley capped him in 2009)?

    Reply
    • I like Robles. He has gotten a couple looks (camp call ups) by Klinsman including 1 game from what I remember and a couple under Bradley. One has got to believe that he has not impressed to really force his way in under either coach.

      I had a lot of hope for him in part because he one of the first goalkeepers of his generation to go abroad and stick on a team (Kaiserslautern). Keep in my he and Guzan are the same age. I actually the Hamid is better and about 8 years younger. I have hope for Hamid and Horvath to be the next great keepers battling for number 1. Guzan has slipped a little bit, but I still believe in him if he can get a regular playing time.

      Reply
      • You have Steffen waiting in the wings if he is earns the starting role at Columbus next season. He started nine games for Pittsburgh in USL to mixed results, but the Riverhounds earned 13 points in their first 21 games and 12 in their final nine with Zac in net.when Zac took over in net.

  2. McKinze Gaines went 30 mins for Wolfsburg in a friendly against Lupo Martini Wolfsburg (4th Division) side in a 6-2 victory. It was mostly a reserve side that started and then youth players who subbed on in the charity match. No report of how he played.

    Reply
    • McKinze is looking like another good prospect for the future. He, and other youngsters (Zelalem, CCV, Wright, Akale, etc…) will have their opportunity to impress during next summers U-20 WC and with their club teams. Strong performances at the WC and/or with their clubs first teams will give them opportunities.

      Reply
      • I’ve read he’s the furthest along of the three Americans in the U19 Bundesliga, with Wright and McKinnie, but who knows how accurate those reports are.

      • He’s furthest along simply because of the the whole VW situation Wolfsburg have found themselves in. They’re like a slow burning fire, selling off a few their highest assets every transfer period. Draxler is rumoured to be the next one to leave at the end of the season; that’ll probably open up a spot for Gaines.

        Compare that to Schalke in the relegation zone, I doubt they go with youngsters like Wright or McKinnie.

        Although, from all accounts, Gaines is probably the most complete player out of all 3. Wright still needs to figure things out tactically, maybe rely less on his athleticism. For Gaines, its just a matter of stepping his game up from youth to adult level.

  3. What I’d like to see as our starting XI against New Zealand…..

    —————Jozy———–Agudelo——————
    —-Green———Kljestan—————Arriola—–
    ———————–Bradley————————–
    –Acosta—–Besler——-Gonzalez——Yedlin—
    ————————Bingham————————

    Subs: Kitchen for Bradley, Gooch for Arriola, Williams for Kljestan, Hamid for Bingham, Orozco for ?

    Can’t really see Birnbaum getting minutes after being kicked in the head. Could see Boyd get a cameo late, but wouldn’t count on it. Since Bingham & Yarbrough have been involved for the entire camp, expect one of them to get the start even if Hamid is probably the better option.
    I don’t care for Orozco but expect him to get some minutes for one of the outside backs.

    Reply
  4. I’d love to see Parker get some PT. He is very good, has a high level of compete, wins balls in the air and has a lot of upside. But he needs to play CB. We have plenty of
    CBs, I know, but he has played well for Vancouver and he was outstanding vs Columbia in U23 WCQs. You can t have too much depth. So let’s see what he can do at the Sr level.

    Reply
  5. It’s great to see Agudelo getting a well-deserved call up. Not only is his scoring touch back, but he’s elevated his all-around game, and he’s been the best player on the field for the Revs. Here’s hoping JK gives him ample playing time against NZ.

    Reply
    • Agudelo’s problem isn’t current form, its consistency, and a manager not knowing which Juan you are going to get. After scoring against Mexico in April 2015 he scored three times in his next six games for NE, but then didn’t score again for three months. He has more injury issues than Altidore and at 23 that seems worrisome as well. The moving of Davies to Philly and giving Agudelo the full time starting spot next to Kamara over Bunbury seems to be helping his form and attitude, hopefully that will continue into next season.

      Reply
  6. Probably should find a way for Kitchen to see at least 45, with his return to DC. It seems odd he keeps getting call ups, but doesn’t see the field. He’s been in the game day roster 15 times and only played 91 minutes in 4 appearances.

    Reply
  7. —-Green–Altidore—-
    Gooch————–Arriola
    —–Bradley–Kljestan–
    Acosta—————Yedlin
    ——Besler–Gonzalez—
    ———–Bingham——–

    Reply
  8. This roster change is like a hockey line change.

    This is lineup I want to see:

    ———Altidore——–Agudelo———
    Green————–Kljestan—-Arriola
    ————-Williams————————
    Acosta-Besler-Gonzalez-Yedlin
    —————Bingham——————-

    Gooch, Kitchen as mandatory subs. Of course I know there is no way that Bradley won’t start.

    Reply
  9. I’m hoping that this game will be a chance to trot out the 4-3-3

    — Green ——- Jozy ——- Paul A. —
    ———————————————-
    ———– Bradley — Sacha ———–
    —————– Danny ——————-
    – Acosta ———————— Yedlin –
    ———– Besler —– Gonzo ———-
    ———————————————-
    —————— Hamid ——————

    Boyd for Jozy
    Swagudelo for Paul
    Kitchen for Bradley
    Gooch for Williams

    Reply
    • Switch Bradley and Williams, Bradley plays deeper for Toronto, and Williams has played higher up for Reading (although I haven’t checked where he is playing recently) then your subs also work.

      Reply
  10. Many more experimental type options available for this match.
    Outside of Yedlin we’re going to see a new defensive line-up. Only defender I wish wasn’t there is Orozco as I don’t believe he’s a worthwhile option. I would have preferred Villafana get called in.
    In midfield we’re a little thin at wing options, but at we should get a chance to see how Gooch does.
    I’m glad that Wondo was released and younger options were called in. Besides ArJo these are the players who should be getting time over Wondo since they might actually be able to contribute beyond the immediate matches. I would have liked to have seen Morris kept, but understand releasing him since the Sounders are thin at the position.

    Reply
  11. Wow. Awkward. So in Agudelo, Altidore, and Boyd we have not one but THREE big strong target-man types who all have fairly low motors and probably can’t co-exist with any of the others without putting the game totally to sleep?

    We’re also probably down Birnbaum since I doubt he’ll play after having his head almost kicked off his shoulders by the Kung-Fu Cuban the other day, so we’re effectively down to 18 guys…which incidentally counts three keepers.

    Slim pickings. Can they really beat even New Zealand with so many of our more dynamic options gone home? (And by this I do not mean Wondo.)

    Reply
      • Nope. Sorry. Compare those cats to, say, Charlie Davies or especially Dom Dwyer, both of whom are, uhm, not white, and they look sluggish in comparison…Dwyer especially is a live wire compared to any of this crew.

        I mean all three of these forwards are bigger, less active guys, who are pretty useless at high-pressing and do not have the motors to go box-to-box if you put them outside…yes, yes, I know New England plays Agudelo on the wing and I personally think it exposes them on the flank badly. He’s a defensive liability, period and he definitely will not confuse you with a Michael Bradley or Jermaine Jones as far as his willingness to cover every blade of grass if that’s what it takes.

        Truthfully I was still really hoping Agudelo, at some point, would make a run at Altidore’s job at center striker for the USMNT because he has the first touch and quite frankly pure ball skills Altidore does not – he’s vastly more technical than Altidore and really does flash tremendous skill at times – but not since the very beginning has Agudelo ever looked like he truly belonged. Agudelo looked, early on, like the next hot thing…when he was 19 or so and then really pretty much vanished and just hasn’t taken his opportunities (to put it mildly) when he’s gotten them over the last few years. He’s still hot and cold…and low-motor, and he vanishes for LONG stretches of games. And he’s always come across like he had more than a bit of The Big Head. Divas do not make it under Klinsmann.

    • “Awkward. So in Agudelo, Altidore, and Boyd we have not one but THREE big strong target-man “.
      – Boyd: is still getting into game condition post injury (he has been playing with their Red Bull’s U23 side. This is more to get a look at him in camp.
      -Agudelo: Just because he is 6’1”, doe not mean he is a big strong target type. He can actually play wing as much as centre forward. He is fit as a 2nd forward or winger. I don’t watch New England, but I assume he plays the withdrawn/2nd forward or winger there because Kei Kamara has to the target man.

      Reply
    • Okay, that would make sense. I was eyeballing the roster and wondering if we really meant to play either Birnbaum or Orozco at right back. I guess Tim Parker can slot in there but I was under the impression he was more of yet another CB/RB tweener…every time I’ve seen him he actually reminds me quite a lot of Geoff Cameron.

      Reply

Leave a Comment